Tractor



Jan. 9, 1923',

T BROWN. TRACTOR ORIGINAL FILED JULY 10, 1916.

3 SHEETSSFIEET I Jan. 9, 1923.

T BROWN. TRACTOR. ORIGINAL F1 LED JULY 10. 1916 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2Patented ill-an. 1923 nitrite orrice.

THEOPEILUS BROWN, OF lliGL-INE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO DEERE AND COMPANY,OF i MOLINE, ILLINOIS, A CORPQBATION- OF ILLINOIS.

Tee-coon.

Application filed. ui aiaie, Serial no. 105,500. Renewed March 31, 1922.Serial no. 548,521.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, TrirorHiLUs Brown, a citizen of the United States,residing at Moline, inthe county of Roclrlsland and Stateof Illinois,have invented ce tain new and useful Improvements .in Tractors, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had there/into theaccompanyin% dra w1ng. I p .hlS invention relates to in'iprove nents ntractors; especially those of the sort that are used for propellingearth-working tools; andstill more particular y, -those that are usedfor propelling impleme tswhich, at

frequently occurring intervals, must be,

sharply turned, bodily, from one direction of travel to another, andwhich also, at still shorter intervals, require :trequent detlcctionsfrom a given line of advancees for example, when following the lines ofrows of irregularly positioned plants, I

There are many forms of tractor apparatus within the class. of thoseherein contemplated, each of which, for various reasons, must be maderelatively long: This increases the difliculty incident to turning thefront end to the left or to the right by means of the steering wheels,of one sort or another, with which they are equipped.

They can be deflected. to a limited, extent, froma given lineof travelin either direction with'these wheels, but it is frequently necessary tocarry thestructure, as an entirety, away from such lines on curves ofshort radii, this hein zinade necessary be cause of the restricted spacewithin which this turning, bodily, mustbe effected fQne. of the objectsof the present invention is to construct a tractor apparatus in such waythat, when occasion demands, it can be turned on such short radialcurves. Anotheris to provide it with two turning or steering mechanisms,by one ofwhich it can thus be sharply turned. bodil an the other ofwhich can be utilized to quicldv and delicately deflect oneend,preferably the "rny imnroveplement of this class somewhat in detail;

but it will be understood that such selection I is made, and suchdetails of description given, merely for the purpose of conveying a.full understanding of the invention. It can be embodied in any of-ma-nyother forms of apparatus, as concerns the details.-

Of the drawingsy F ig. l is a plan view of a tractor 1nechanismembodying); my improvements;

' F ig. 2 is a view, partly in side elevation,

partly in section, on line 2&2, Figure 1.

F ig. 3 is a View, partly in front elevation, partly in section, of thetreadles and treadle .leversfor controlling the dirigible wheels;

Fig. 4- is a View, partly in sideelevation,

of parts shown in F igure and partly in section, on line A-i, Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is'a vertical the line-7'Z,Fig. 1; V

Fig. 8 is abottom view, on a largerscale, of the joining devices for theframesections and ofthe means for adjusting them; and

Fig. 9 isa section on line 99, Fig. 1. The framework of'the machine,considered as an entirety, may be regarded as made up of two principalframe sections-one for supportino the wheels. and. other parts at'thejfront, and the other for supporting the wheels and adjacent parts at theroar. In the mechanism shown the front frame section andthepartsattached may be consideredas the operative element, in the illu trationgiven the cultivating element of the apparatus, while the rear sectionand the frame member 10 from which extend forard the supports 11. 11,connected at their front eudsby a frame member 12. 13, 13 are brace barsnear the central longitudinal linesconnecting; the parts .10 and 12..14, 14-.

are vertically arranger tubular brackets or sockets respectively securedto the ends of thecross frame memberv 10. In theselare mounted thestems15 which carry, or are formed integrally with. the spindlesof thefront ground wheels 16. 17, 17 are braces extending respectively'fromcthe lower ends of the sockets 14: tothe brace supports :11.

18, 18 are frame bars that extend rearward from the cross element 10,and by which the front element of the apparatus is connected to the rearelement, as will be described.

Each bar 18 has, at its front end, a vertical fork with arms18, 18, theformer rigidly secured to the cross bar 10, and the latter to s thelower portions of the sockets 14, respectively.

In the drawings are shown gangs ofearthworking tools, each having one"or .more drag bars or beams 19 and shovels or earth implements 20. 22 isan arch bar with vertical arms and outwardly turned spindles 21, thisarch being held firmly in vertical planes by the bracket 23, secured tothe bars 13, and by the inclined braces 24, 25,'one extending backwardto the central parts of the central frame, and the other extendingforward to the cross bar 12. The arch, however, can be arranged to slidetransversely of the apparatus, the upper part of it being slidablymounted in the bracket 23. 26 is a master lever supported by a rockshaft 26", byjwhieh lever the positions of all the drag bars or beamsand tools can be regulated in unison. 27 and 28 are sub-levers mounteduponthe shaft-26 of the master lever. 29 is an arm extending forwardfrom the lever 27, andSO an arm extending from lever 28. Theseareconnected to the tool gangs by links 31 and 32. The links,respectively,

have compression springs 33 and 34 which ,have, at their upper ends,forward projectpermit the tool gangs to yield vertically as required. i

By the levers 27 and 28 either of the tool gangs can be adjustedindependently of the other; by the master lever 26 all the gangs areadjustable together.

Thestems 15, 15 of the wheel spindles ing arms 36 connected by a link37. 38 is a three-arm bell crank lever. The arm 38 of the lever ispivotally connected to the link 37 and the laterally projecting arms 41are connected bv links 42 to foot levers 48 which, in turn, are pivotedto brackets on the frame element 10.

turning the wheels to the leftor the right,

and causes the front end of the machine to be correspondingly deflected.more or tea.

lVith an apparatus such as shown, when used in cultivating a row ofplants. this turning at the front end of the machine brings the one orthe other of the tool gangs closer to the row; Sometimes it is'desirable to shift the tool gangs more rapidly toward or from the plantsthan can be accomplished. if the deflecting of the front end of themachine, as

turned by the steering wheel. The total lateral movement of the gangs isthus increased during a given period of time.

To accomplish this, use is made of a bell crank 44 mounted on the crossbar 12, one

arm of which is connected to the aforesaid bell crank lever 38 by a link45, and the other arm of which is pivotally connected to the arch 22. When the foot levers are actuated, and the wheels 16 are turned, throughthe transverse movements of the cross link rod 37 and the bell lever 38,the arch and the tool are simultaneously moved in unison with themovements of the wheels.

If the conditions of the work are such that such lateral shifting,bodily, of the tool gauge is not required, and the steering resultingfrom turning the wheels 16. is sufficient, the gang shifting devices canbe thrown out of action by disconnecting the link 45. And to preventaccidental shifting movements of the gangs after such disconn on, thelink 45 can be used as a lock, as one end of it can be fastened in anysuitable holder, such as that, at 46', carried by one of the frame bars.

The second main element of the apparatus, at the rear, comprises thefollowing parts. '47, 4'7 are bars diverging outward and rearward. andinclined somewhat downward. 48, are bars that similarly divergerearward, but extend upward toward the The front end parts of these bars47 and 48 are joined rigidly together, as shown in Figure '8, and arealso joined to the devices which connect the front frame section to therear frame section. The rear frame includes an arched axle bar 49 whichis car,- ried high enough to pass over the plants which can be passed bythe forward arch 22. The vertical parts of the rear arch are indicatedby 50, and at their lower ends, these are connected. to, orformedintegrally with, spindles 51, upon which are mounted the tractionground wheels 52. The rear euds of the lower bars 47 of the rear framesectim are rigidly secured to the vertical parts 50 of the axle; theupwadly extending bars 48 are rigidly secured by suitable brackets tothe upper part of the arch, these parts 47, 48 and .49 constituting themain elen'ients of the rear frame section.

53 is a motor suitably suportedfi Preferably it is placed upon the rearparts of the top bars 48. The motor shaft has afl v wheel carrying, orformed as one element of, the friction clutch at 54. The companionrover, or housing 79'. mounted on the front frame section, and the worm.gear 76 on the rear sect-ion, two sections hinged together or iv clementof the clutch is controlled bythe 7 hand lGTEl' 56-which is locked inany position desired by a thumb latcln detent, and

notched segment 69.

I 57 pinion, on of the motor shaft and actuated thereby when the clutchis closed. This pinion meshes with a gear '58, on shaft above ,the motor shaft, the wheel 58 or shaft above the motor shaft,

the wheel 58 or shaft carrying a pinion 59 which meshes with the gear onthe cross shaft 63 mounted in bearings 6i secured to the upper part ofthe arched axle &9.

The countershaft 61, and the wheels thereon are supported hybraclret 62rigidly con nected to, one of the frame bars 4-8.

(35, 65 are, sprocket wheels connected by chain. 66 with sprocket wheels(37 onthe traction wheels 52.

I \68 is, a compensating or diflcrential gear of any well knownorsuitable sort interposed: between the pinion 59 and the sprocketwheels 65. As shown, this compensating gear is on the shaft 63 and iscomposed of suitable elements hy which power transmitted to the gear 60will. be unpartedequally to the traction" wheels, but with differentialspeeds, according to circumstances.

@The' forward ends of the longitudinal bars 47 andi l8i of; therearframe'section, as abovestatech are connected withthe rear vends of thebars l8 of the front frame section as follows: I

370 indicates a tubular, preferably conical, socket which is secured "tothe forward end of the bars 4:7, &8, see Figures 6, 7 and 8.

T6 is a worm gear integral with, or secured to, this socket 7 0. a 72isa stub shaftor large stem fitting in the socket/TO, this shaft or stembeing rigid wit-h the bars 18 and the or stem 72 is held snugly injournalii'ig position in the socket Toby means of the bolt the head ofwhich engages with the plate '79 and the bolt having a nut at the end ofthe socket 70.. 7? is a worn: on a,

horizontal shaft 80 mounted inhearings. 78

which are shown as formed in the plate This woria being the connecteth"it willhe seen :that the front frame section and the. rear section canbe readily and quickly thrown-T to one .or' an-, other of severallnchnations as desired. 1T0

effect this, the worm is turned by'nieans' of a hand wheelSl, secured tothe worm shaft scribed vv ill be readilyunderstood. that t 1S'l38l1lgused for cultivatin tor has COD IPlQtG 'COQtFOl of its direction. L

, finds it necessary to throw thetools, dni

rear ground wheels or traction devices in the ,ll henit becomes,necessary to turn the mach ne completely around, for i-nsta *whenthe endofa row of plantshas gt-he two frame sections to conslderahle .lower endengaging with a washer cap 74; of fillfllfililnt width to engage withthe lower limited: but if he supplements thi by 'sible-by the hingingand by the p: vices otally' 'inechanism turns.

c an ecceu Q tric hant-ile sea t. a

The mode of operating or mani s an appari s such ashas been .abce denssun e growing in rows flhe motor is first i and the operator, if in hisseat 82, can start or stop the movement of the inacl lever 56 and-thefriction clutch. I

As the machine mores for ward, the opei by the I 80 the path alongwhichhe should. advance is I I approximately straight, and deviates onlysl ghtly from a straight line in ervals,

he causes the implement to deflect from such s line, to follow theslight ValldlllODS in the 1 path, bymeans of hisfootlevers 1 If,howeyer, there is 0ll$ld6lffd3l6 "irregularity, or if thenecessaryidetlections of the pathfrom a straight line are wide, an

short periods ofj tiinecyer relatively long distances, he connectsthetoohshi de x ices with the front steering inechanisni by n nsof'th'e'linl: 41:5; and then. the act of guiding the tools towz d theplants simul- 9 taneously turns the front wheelsand (reflects the frontend offthe machine. I

In either case,- heautomatically leads the direction to he traveled;

ce, been reached, and to travel in the opposite direction. the operatorinclines the; front section to the rear-section hand wheel 81 in thenropei causing the worm 7 the worm to bring the frame, sections to ananglowith each other toward the left or right, as dein'anded. .,-Itcans-es the axes of the w r under the front section-to assume positioninclined to the axes ofythe wheels for the rear section. Andbyangulatiug; the lincs'of tent. he can turn the implement on curves ofshort radii.

The extent to'wl1i -:h he can, by the steering 'treadles, angnlate thefront wheelsgis anguleting of the frame sectl T6 and 77." he can shortenthe radii of the curves onwhi'ch the frontcnd the I no fie

the opposite direction, the hand-wheel and worm are reversed, and thefront and rear frame sections areagain brought into alignment, nd theirparts are ready again to 'be steered and manipulated through the footlevers. As already stated, I have presented, somewhat in detail, amechanism in this particular subclass one exhibiting all tl'i-cadvantages incident to my invention Butconcerns the particular work tohe accour plished,or the details of structure, t" can be modification inthe mechanism without departing from the essential features of theinvention. 1 v What I claim is: 1. In a tractor, the combination of oneor more front ground wheels, one or morerear ground wheels, a frame forsupporting said ground wheels, a motor on the frame for transmittingpower to one or more of the ground wheels, and two sets of steeringdevices, those of one set being adapted to ad just the front groundwheels to lines of ad- Vance inclined to the longitudinal lines of themachine, substantially as set forth,

ally on curves of relatively long radii,- and the steering devices ofthe other being arranged, substantially as set forth, to move both ofthe front wheels simultaneously and bodily, in thesamedirection,relatively to the rear'wheels, and cause the tractor to adVance in said direction on curves of relatively shorter radii. v

2. In a tractor, the combination of one or more front ground wheels, oneor more rear ground wheels, a frame for supportingsaid wheels, a motorfor transmitting power to one or moreflground wheels, and two sets ofsteering devices, the devices of one being adapted to cause the turningof the front wheels, substantially asset forth, and cause the tractor toturn bodily on curves of long radii, and the steering dev ces of theother set being arranged to throw both of the front,

wheels simultaneously and bodily, in the same direction, relatively tothe ground wheels, while said front wheels are tr veling in'parallelismon curves of shorter radii, and to relatively move the rear wheels tocause them to travel in the opposite direction.

3. In a tractor. the combination of one or more front ground wheels, oneor more rear ground wheels, a frame for supporting sai d ground wheelsand jointed on a vertical steering pivot at a point between the frontand rear wheel axles, said parts being adapted to have the ground wheelor wheels at the rear positioned relatively to the ground wheel orwheels at the front to cause the more of said ground wheels, and a setof" steering devices supplemental to the devices aforesaid for-causingthelateral turning of i the tractor.

ground Wheels and jointedgon a vertical steering pivot at a pointbetween the front and rear wheel axles, a motor 'on the frame adapted totransmit tractive power to one for more of the said ground wheels, andtwo sets of devices each adapted to vary the 1nclination of the axes ofthe ground wheel or wheels at the front to the axes of the groundwheelor wheels at the rear to cause the lateral turning of the tractor.

5. In a tractor, the combination of one or more front ground wheels, oneor more rear ground wheels, a frame for supporting said ground wheelsand jointed on a vertical ring pivot point between the front and rearwheel axles, a motor on the frame for transmitting tractive power to oneor more of said ground wheels, and two sets of steering devices eachadapted to cause the turning of the tractor laterally in'either-direction independently of the other; whereby the tractor is caused toturnlaterde t-a lairelations to the ground wheelor wheels at the rear.

7. In a tractor, the combinationofone or more front ground wheels, oneor more rear ground wheels, a frame for supporting the "ground wheelsand ointed on a vertical steering pivot at a pointbetween the front andrear wheel axles, a' motor on the frame for transmitting tractive powerto one or more of the ground wheels, a set of steering "devices heldbodily in fixed position relative to the ground wheel or wheels at thefront,

and means supporting the said steering devices and adapted to bepositioned adjustably in relation to the ground wheel or wheels at therear in order to change by such adjustment the line of travel 61? the 1,tractor.

8. In a tractor, the combination of one or THOIQ ground. wheels, one ormore rear ground wheels, :1 frame for supporting said. ground wheels andjointed on a vertical steering pivot at a point between the front andrear wheel axles, a motor on the frame for transmitting tractive powerto one or more of the ground wheels, a set of steering devices forcausing the tractor to turn laterally, and means for adjusting saidsteer-Q ing devices bodily relatively to theground wheel or wheels atthe rear to increase or decrease the radii of the curves along which thetractor turns. Y I

9. In av tractor, the combination of the two wheel-supporting framesections, one in the rear of the other and jointed on a verticalsteering pivot at a point between the front and rear wheel. axles andrelatively adjustable laterally to different inclinations to each other,a ground wheel or Wheels on each ofsaid frame sections,a motor supportedby said frame and arranged to transirait tractive power to one or moreof said ground wheels, and steering devices for turning the tractorsupplemental to said adjustable frame sections.

10. In a tractor, the combination of a front frame section, a groundwheel sup-' ported thereby, a rear frame section, a ground wheelsupported thereby, said frame sections being connected together by, acentral vertical steering pivot and adjustable laterally relatively toeach otherto Vary the inclinations of the axes of the ground wheelsrespectively supported thereby, the adjustments thereof being adapted tocause the tractor to turn laterally, and supplemental steering devicesalso for swinging a set of the ground Wheels relative to their framesection causing its lateral turning.

11. In a tractor, the combination of arear frame section, one or moreground wheels c1011, "thereby, the fI'aIHBSGCtIOHS being connected by acentral verticalsteeringplvot to persupported thereby, a front flamesection, one or more ground wheels supported thereby,

said frame sections being jointed together for swinging a set of theground wheels relative to their fran'ie section, and the motor supportedby said framefseotions and arranged to transmit tractive power to one ormore of the ground wheels.

12..ln a tractor, the combination of a front frame section, one or moreground wheels supported thereby', a rear frame sec- I oneor more groundwheels supported nit their being late ally adjusted relatively to eachother to different angles of inclination, means supported .on the framesections for applying power to effect such ad ustment of the framesections, means for swinging a set of the ground wheels relative totheir frame section, and-the motor supported by said frame sections andarranged to transmit tractive, power to one or more of the groundwheels.

.In testimony whereof, I ailiX my signa-',

ture, in presence oftwo witnesses. I

c p THEOPHILUS BROWN;

' v it'nessesz Jnssin SIMsER, W. G. DUFFIELD.

